Welcome, young geographers! Let's take an exciting trip around the city and explore the factors influencing urban economic activity. Don't worry; it's more fun than it sounds. We'll look at shopping districts, CBDs, and industrial zones, understand why they're located where they are, and more. So, let's hit the road!

Just like you would bid for that last piece of cake at home, different purposes - commercial, manufacturing, residential - bid for land too! The heart of the city (or the city centre) usually holds the most expensive land. Why? Accessibility to public transport and limited availability. Think of this as downtown New York or London. However, land prices generally decrease as we move further away from the centre, though there are some exceptions like intersections of main roads and ring roads. You might find your favorite mall or superstore here!

Remember: The accessibility of land also depends on the mode of transport. It's often easier to get to the suburbs in your family car than by public transport, which explains the sprawl of suburbs.

Imagine this: from your local neighborhood store to that gigantic mall in the city centre, there's an invisible retail hierarchy!

• Neighborhood stores: Sells low-order goods like groceries and newspapers. It's like the small shop around the corner that you pop into for a candy bar or a soda.
• High street shops and department stores: These sell high-order goods (think of the latest iPhone or designer clothes). Picture your favorite branded store or department store in the city.
• Out-of-town superstores and retail parks: These giants offer a vast range of products. Imagine a massive Walmart or Costco, often located on the city outskirts.

However, this hierarchy is evolving. Ever noticed the increasing number of superstores and retail parks in the suburbs? Why? The factors range from demographic and economic changes (like more affluent households moving to the suburbs) to technological changes (more families own deep freezers and don't need to shop daily), and even social changes like more women in paid work

But what does this mean for our small high-street shops? Unfortunately, many have had to close due to the competition. As a result, there have been attempts to revitalize retailing in central areas - like transforming old buildings into shopping complexes, creating traffic-free zones, or carrying out large-scale redevelopment schemes. Picture the revitalization of Times Square in New York or the Les Halles district in Paris!